Buyer wants me to send him serial number pics

I'm selling a gun on Armslist and the buyer and I have agreed on a price, but he just sent me a text asking if I could send him a picture of the serial number on the gun. Just wondering if that is okay to do? Anything I should be concerned about?

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Bio-Chem

February 21, 2013, 12:04 PM

he probably just wants to look up when it was manufactured. i can't see anything he could do with the information other than that

Bubbles

February 21, 2013, 12:10 PM

Is the gun a collectible? If so the buyer may be trying to determine the year it was built.

Also, since Armslist is used by scammers who swipe pictures from other auction sites, post up their fake auctions, take in money orders, and then disappear, the buyer may be trying to make certain you really do have the gun.

claiborne

February 21, 2013, 12:15 PM

I have purchased a handful of firearms on line over the last 10 years. I have requested serial number pictures for two reasons.
One is to look up the manufacture date to ensure I am purchasing what I really want. ....example, I like Marlin 39's but have no use for a rebounding hammer or push button safety on a lever action rifle. The manufacture date helps to indentify if the rifle has these features.

The other reason, 8 years ago an unscrupulous seller sent me a rifle that was not the one pictured for sale. It was beat up pretty bad and I was not able to return it. So now I make sure the serial number advertised is the serial number purchased. If the seller does not want to share the serial number, I move on to the next purchase.

Good luck

tarosean

February 21, 2013, 12:15 PM

He/she might want to ensure they receive the correct one?

Chevelle SS

February 21, 2013, 12:18 PM

It's a bushmaster ar-15 so it's not collectible. I thought he might think it was stolen or something but I don't know.

Rail Driver

February 21, 2013, 12:21 PM

There's nothing a buyer can do with a serial number that could possibly harm you. No harm in sharing it for his peace of mind.

osprey176

February 21, 2013, 12:23 PM

I check every used gun I buy to make sure it isn't on the hot list. A good friend got burned pretty bad by not doing so.

Black Butte

February 21, 2013, 12:35 PM

I check every used gun I buy to make sure it isn't on the hot list. A good friend got burned pretty bad by not doing so.

How do you check the "hot list"? I called NICS once to check a serial before a private sale and they told me to get lost.

22-rimfire

February 21, 2013, 01:28 PM

I see little harm in providing this information. It is different when just posting pictures or asking for information about a certain firearm online as far as I'm concerned since it essentially tells the world that you own or posess this specific gun.

As far as stolen guns go, in my state, I am told that a gun shipped to a pawn shop FFL dealer must be held to verify that it is not listed as stolen... some sort of pawn shop law.

chris in va

February 21, 2013, 01:41 PM

If that's the case, why does everyone on gun boards photoshop out the S/N when posting a pic of their gun?

psyopspec

February 21, 2013, 01:46 PM

How do you check the "hot list"? I called NICS once to check a serial before a private sale and they told me to get lost.

I'm also curious about this. Who maintains it? How does one check to see if a gun is on it?

JRH6856

February 21, 2013, 01:48 PM

How do you check the "hot list"? I called NICS once to check a serial before a private sale and they told me to get lost.
NICS is a list of prohibited persons, not stolen guns and is not available to the general public. It should not be confused with NCIC (National Crime Information Center) which does have a list of stolen property but is only accessible to LEOs. There are websites that list some stolen guns, but listing is by voluntary submission and is not complete. Best bet may be to call your local Sheriff or PD and ask them to check NCIC.

tkaction

February 21, 2013, 04:18 PM

and then they will come get it.

Fryerpower

February 21, 2013, 04:23 PM

I'll play devil's advocate:
He wants to file a theft report for your gun and needs to know what "his" serial number is. Then he can say who he thinks has his gun.

Back to non-tin foil land, I asked a seller for the serial number once because she really did not know what she was selling. (Ex-husband left it in the safe when he moved out. She sold it after the divorce was finalized.) I was able to look it up and find out everything I needed to know. It lead to a successful sale with both parties happy.

Jim

JShirley

February 21, 2013, 04:30 PM

I would take the pic, and white out the last 2 digits.

JRH6856

February 21, 2013, 05:29 PM

and then they will come get it.
And that is why you run the check before you pay for it. :rolleyes:

22-rimfire

February 21, 2013, 05:39 PM

chris in va: If that's the case, why does everyone on gun boards photoshop out the S/N when posting a pic of their gun?

I don't know and don't really care what other people do. Maybe they don't have photoshop? You don't see me posting pictures.

medalguy

February 21, 2013, 10:26 PM

The buyer wants to be sure you really have the gun to sell and not a captured image of a gun you picked up on the net. I don't blame him. There's been a lot of fraud lately involving snagged pics and no gun.

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